Laboratory Technician

John Carroll University; University Heights (OH); On-site; USD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Tuition remission

Job summary

John Carroll University is seeking a Lab Technician to support Physics, Engineering, Chemistry, and Biochemistry. You will maintain and repair equipment, develop SOPs, and assist with maker-space and fabrication tool usage. The role involves coordinating with ITS and Facilities, training students, and enabling advanced teaching labs.

The position is in University Heights, Ohio, a full-time, in-person role beginning as a two-year funded appointment that ends August 31, 2028 unless extended.

Qualifications

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, chemistry or technology with related experience.
• Knowledge of fabrication, laboratory equipment, and machine maintenance.
• Ability to train undergraduate students and multitask effectively.
• Commitment to John Carroll’s mission to inspire excellence in learning, leadership, and service.

Responsibilities

• Develop and follow preventative maintenance plans for department-owned instrumentation.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and repair scientific instruments and equipment.
• Coordinate with vendors for parts and installation of new lab equipment.
• Support ITS and Facilities to improve lab infrastructure and spaces.
• Create SOPs and safety protocols for equipment and labs.
• Train and supervise students operating equipment in teaching labs.
• Assist teaching faculty with instrumentation-heavy experiments.

Skills

Fabrication

Laboratory equipment maintenance

Multitasking

Training undergraduates

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, relevant chemistry or technology

Tools

CNC machining

Job description

The Lab Technician position provides technical support to the Departments of Physics and Engineering, and of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Responsibilities of the position include preventative maintenance and repair of equipment and instrumentation, and advising on and implementing improvements to laboratory infrastructure and spaces. Furthermore, this individual oversees and delivers technical support for specific departmental facilities and competencies, such as the maker-space, fabrication tools, and electronics instrument use, to the broader university community of scholars and learners. This is a two-year funded position and is set to end August 31, 2028 unless funding is continued.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and follow preventative maintenance plans for department-owned research and instructional scientific instrumentation.
• Conduct troubleshooting, diagnostics, and essential repairs on scientific instrumentation.
• Work with suppliers to obtain any parts and technical support needed to complete repairs.
• Coordinate with vendors and instrument custodians/operators to plan and carry out the installation of new equipment for research and instructional labs.
• Coordinate with Information Technology Services ( ITS ) to support computer systems and software packages used to control and collect data from equipment and instruments.
• Plan and coordinate with the Facilities Department to implement changes to lab facilities within the Physics and Engineering Department, including a maker-space, machine shop, and advanced engineering lab.
• Make recommendations regarding upgrades, additions, or removal of tools and equipment, including any repairs that should be made.
• Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all relevant equipment and instrumentation, including developing and/or documenting appropriate safety protocols.
• Train and supervise students in the operation of equipment and instrumentation.
• Support the operation of Physics and Engineering Physics teaching labs.
• Assist faculty in teaching advanced laboratory courses that incorporate significant instrumentation, where appropriate.
• Fabricates, machines, and assembles precision parts and components to support academic teaching labs and cutting-edge research projects.
• Provide leadership for incorporating machining and fabrication skills into the PH/EP curriculum, including CNC machining equipment and techniques.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• At least an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, relevant chemistry or technology area, or related fields plus some years of related work experience.
• Knowledge of fabrication, laboratory equipment, and machine maintenance.
• Ability to train undergraduate students.
• Must be adept at multitasking.
• Interest in understanding and supporting John Carroll’s mission to inspire individuals to excel in learning, leadership, and service in the region and in the world.

Preferred Qualifications

Normal Work Location, Hours and Conditions

This position works in person from our campus in University Heights, Ohio. This position is a 12-month full-time role working approximately 37.5 hours per week.

Physical Requirements

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in a lab setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull moderate to significant amounts of weight; to operate laboratory equipment.

Hours

Hours Full Time

FLSA

FLSA Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Starting pay will be $28.00 – $34.00 / hour, commensurate with qualifications. This position offers a generous Total Rewards package that includes health and dental insurance options, paid vacation, personal, sick, and mission time, holidays, 403 (b) retirement plan, life insurance, and tuition remission benefits for you, your spouse, and children.

About John Carroll University

John Carroll University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit Catholic university, founded in 1886, dedicated to developing people with the knowledge and character to lead and to serve. The University is located in University Heights, Ohio, an attractive residential suburb 10 miles east of downtown Cleveland. Academically, the University consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and the Boler College of Business, which include graduate programs. The University offers more than 70 Academic Programs in the arts, social sciences, natural sciences, and business at the undergraduate level, and in select areas at the master’s level.

The University enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate students and 500 graduate students and has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1. John Carroll University is one of 27 Jesuit universities in the United States and has been listed in U.S. News & World Report magazine’s top 10 rankings of Midwest regional universities for more than 30 consecutive years.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and value all individuals and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

1 John Carroll Boulevard, University Heights, Ohio, 44118